Heart and vessels
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Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), a new biochemical marker of sarcolemmal injury due to acute myocardial ischemia, can be used as a tool in early diagnosis and management of patients at high risk. The aim of this study was to determine the early diagnostic value of H-FABP in acute coronary syndrome (within 6-24 h of chest pain) and to compare it with troponin-T (TnT) and creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) for accuracy. The study consisted of 40 consecutive patients with chest pain admitted to the coronary care unit with the diagnosis of suspected acute coronary syndrome. ⋯ Within 6-24 h, positivity of H-FABP reached a peak value of 100% in patients who underwent primary coronary intervention, while H-FABP was positive in 60% of the others (P<0.001). We conclude that within the 6 h of acute coronary syndrome, H-FABP seems to be a more sensitive biochemical marker than TnT in the early detection of ischemic myocardial necrosis. But after the first 6 h of the onset of chest pain the sensitivity of H-FABP decreases, and this marker should not be used alone in patients admitted 24 h after the onset of chest pain.